


Strong Enough

by Quinnoid



Category: Rusty Quill Gaming (Podcast)
Genre: Character death tag is for canon character death, Einstein Voice: Rome is the worst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Minimal Comfort sorry, Missing Scene, Set during 127
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26814184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quinnoid/pseuds/Quinnoid
Summary: Azu's perspective on returning from the planes.
Relationships: Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan & Azu
Comments: 8
Kudos: 8
Collections: Azu Week 2020





	Strong Enough

**Author's Note:**

> Sorta sad folks, sorry. For Azu Week Day 1, Armor/Heart.
> 
> CWs: Mild dysmorphia / dysphoria (planar shifting effects), canon character death

Azu has always been strong, almost stubbornly so. As the planes shift and scream and whistle around her, she holds Grizzop and Emika’s hands tightly, refusing to let go. They hurtle through space and time and dimensions Azu can’t quite wrap her head around. She’s always been strong, strong enough that even in her village, everyone asked her for help lifting heavy things, strong enough to help carry sick and injured without jostling them, strong enough to help people through hard emotions and experiences. She’s always been strong, and she reminds herself of that as the planar magic stretches her body to its limits, and then stretches her even further, trying to pull her away from the group. She’s strong. She can hang on. 

There’s a horrible rushing feeling as her limbs snap back to normal, as her body suddenly feels right again after feeling so awfully wrong. They land in the room, and Azu sighs in relief.

“Aw hey!” Einstein cries, looking around at them all. He looks so different, but her mind is fuzzy and the room begins to sway and swirl violently. “Oh my god! Wow!” 

Azu squeezes her eyes shut. Everything looks far away and sounds tinny, and she feels numb all over. That must be why she can’t feel Grizzop’s hand in her own, and why she hadn’t seen Sasha on his other side. That must be why she can’t hear Grizzop’s rapidfire orders to  _ “Let’s go! We don’t have all day!”  _ or the squeak and creak of Sasha’s leather jacket as she melts into the shadows. 

“No!” Hamid suddenly screams, and her eyes snap open to see him staring around the room in horror. Before he can say anything else, she glances down at her hand, her  _ empty _ hand. Her empty hand that she hadn’t unclenched. Azu's certain of that. She sees the empty spot next to her, and the one a bit further down. Quickly, she scans the room, but Grizzop and Sasha aren't anywhere to be seen. Hamid keeps screaming.

Azu’s knees start to buckle as she feels her heart shatter. They’re gone. She’s certain of that as well. Had she somehow let go of Grizzop’s hand? Had he gotten ripped away from her, had Sasha somehow gotten pulled away as well? For just a moment, a whirlwind of thoughts drown out everything else, Hamid’s screaming, the clamor of everyone around her, even the faint, warm pulse building under her chestplate. The Heart of Aphrodite is nearly burning when she finally notices, and she focuses on that, breathes, feels her Goddess’ love and strength and compassion surrounding her, comforting her.

Azu doesn’t sink to her knees. She doesn’t cry, doesn’t fall apart just yet. There will be time for that later, when they don’t have hostages to take care of and return home. She is strong, she has to be. She can carry herself and Hamid through this. Resolving herself to be strong enough for the both of them, Azu steps over to Hamid and pulls him into a tight hug.


End file.
